Buying a new car can be an extremely exhilarating experience. You walk onto the Falls Church, Jim McKay or Brown Mazda lots and realize you can have any car you want—your perfect car. All you have to do is decide which one is the best.

This is where it may get tricky. Your family’s safety is the top priority, so you obviously want one that has all the extra safety features—or do you? Some safety features may actually cause more problems then they solve, putting you and your family at risk.

Potentially Dangerous Safety Features

Car manufacturers are constantly developing and upgrading high-tech safety features into many new model vehicles. Features including advanced airbag systems, automatic steering, rear cameras, and advanced warning systems are meant to help save your life in an collision as well as help prevent accidents all together. However, some features have unintended consequences if you’re not prepared.

Seat belts are safety essentials for keeping you strapped tightly to the seat instead of being thrown around by the force of a collision; however, even though the belt is securing you in place, the accident’s force is still being applied to your body, which can cause fractured collarbones, broken ribs, bruising and abrasions where the belt restrained you.

Anti-lock brakes can be harmful in snow and ice as they could cause your vehicle to spin out of control.

Electrical warning signals are used to help promote awareness of people, objects and wildlife around the vehicle that you may otherwise not see; however, sudden noises, flashing lights, and startling vibrations can cause increased stress and dangerous distractions while driving, putting you at a higher risk for an accident.

Most of these innovations are standard in all vehicles because the good they do outweighs the potential harm: airbags and seat belts may cause damage, but they’ll also save your life. However, if you know that you’re easily annoyed, overwhelmed or stressed behind the wheel, buying a car with a lot of distracting warning systems may not be the safest option. Taking the time to be aware of your surroundings and the potential risks of your own car’s safety features won’t only help decrease the risk of serious injuries but also help prevent collisions as well.

By sharing this page on Facebook or Twitter you can help make sure your friends and family know the potential dangers of vehicle “safety” innovations and whom to contact for a free consultation if they’re injured. For more information, contact us today.